The present invention relates to saws, and, in particular, to a saw for dismantling pallets. A pallet is a support structure typically constructed from wooden boards fastened together to form a framework that is useful for shipping and/or storing materials. Generally, the standard pallet includes upper and lower sets of deck boards, which are nailed or stapled to a set of stringer boards between the upper and lower sets of deck boards. The bottom surfaces of the upper deck boards and the top surfaces of the lower deck boards abut the stringer boards at pallet joints. The deck boards lie parallel to each other and usually are 40 inches long. The stringer boards lie parallel to each other and perpendicular to the deck boards and usually are 48 inches long. Once the pallets have been used, it often is desirable to dismantle them, separating the boards from each other at the pallet joints so they can be handled easily. In prior art pallet dismantling saws, there typically has been a problem getting the saw blade aligned with the pallet so it cuts exactly at the intersection of the deck boards with the stringer boards (at the pallet joints) in order to cut through the fasteners, such as nails or staples, while leaving the boards intact.
Many complex arrangements have been used in the past to try to provide the desired alignment between the saw blade and the pallet joint. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,128,992 “Waechter et al.” provides a very complex arrangement including two large, swinging band saw structures that hang from the ceiling. This arrangement is expensive and is difficult to install and to maintain.